The best movie theater in the Bay Area

I don’t enjoy movies like I did when I was young. A very small part of this is because it’s my job now. But mostly I’m spoiled by the convenience. When I was a kid, I had to work to get to a movie.

adobeongreen.com

Worth the 70-minute drive.

First I had to hustle for the money (thank you, Chronicle paper route!) and then find a way to get to the only theater within biking distance. I would ride my crappy 10-speed two and a half miles along a busy frontage road, and then across the 101 freeway to the Hyatt Cinema. And with no multiplex, being late didn’t mean seeing the next movie in 20 minutes — it meant no Wolverines for at least another week.

I’m throwing out that 50-mile rule for my list of the favorite Bay Area theaters, but leaving the spirit of the destination theater concept intact. My choices are all movie houses worth traveling long distances to visit — in most cases surrounded by a fun neighborhood, with solid film programming, maybe some refrigerated Junior Mints and lots of ornate stuff to look at on the ceiling if the movie starts to suck.

My choices are below. Yours in the comments …

5. Lark Theater (Larkspur): This theater was barely on my radar a few years ago, and then I watched the new “Blade Runner” there and was thoroughly impressed. The theater looks good after a renovation and the people who run it offer an eclectic program — with everything from blockbuster movies to “Best of the Met” opera performances to special screenings with celebrity moviemaking guests. The neighborhood is a lot of fun as well.

4. Rafael Theatre (San Rafael): OK, the commenters reminded me of what I love about this theater, so I’m adding it late. The programming is excellent and the special guests are fantastic — I’ve seen everyone from Ray Harryhausen to Ang Lee speak after screenings of their films. It’s also the epicenter of the Mill Valley Film Festival. And the Rafael is very kid-friendly, showing excellent foreign children’s films all year long.

abledangerthemovie.com

Best movie house in the Bay Area.

3. Del Mar Theater (Santa Cruz): The city paid to renovate this classic 1930s theater and it’s run by the guy who owns The Nickelodeon, another excellent movie house around the corner. The Del Mar’s main room has tiered seating with 500 seats, and the programming serves the eclectic community. (The midnight movies range from Hitchcock to Henson.) This may be the best place in the Bay Area to see an art film.

2. Castro Theatre (San Francisco): Even a bad movie can be good in this beautiful Art Deco San Francisco theater. The 2001 renovation brought out the beauty of the building, and the programming is a fun mix of new and old, classy and campy. After all that, the best part of the Castro is the audience. It seems as if everyone comes here ready to have a good time. (This is the best place on the planet to see “Sing-A-Long Sound of Music.”)

1. Grand Lake Theatre (Oakland): The Grand Lake is a triumph of cinematic spirit. There’s an organ player on Friday and Saturday nights, free popcorn during weekdays and it’s in a fun, vibrant corner of Oakland near Lake Merritt. And is there a better neon sign anywhere west of Reno? The scrappy story behind the theater will make you like it even more: owner Allen Michaan took on the local multiplexes in court for the right to show first-run movies. He also respects art, and made preserving the integrity of the Art Deco building a priority.